Demons
by criminalprofiler
Summary: JJ always runs. She ran until she had no choice, but to run from her whole life. Now she lives a different one. But when her old life collides with her knew one, the demons from her past come back. How will the team react to finding out the JJ, is not Jennifer Jareau at all? Rated T for mentions of abuse, rape, serial killers and language. Subject to change.
1. Chapter 1

Hey! This is the first chapter! It is set in season two, prior to Jones. Please read and vote! Feel free to comment, good or bad!

I DO NOT OWN CRIMINAL MINDS OR HIGHER GROUND.

The rain pounded as Jennifer Jareau tapped her hands against the steering wheel in fustration at the umorning traffic. She was already running late. The nightmares had started again. Almost ten years had passed and she was still haunted by the same thing. But she wasn't the same person, she left that person behind and was never going to return to her.

"You are Jeniffer Jareau," she said aloud to herself.

The traffic finally eased up and she pulled into the parking lot.

"Hey sorry I'm late," JJ said apologetically, when she finally arrived to the conference room. "There was a lot of t-traffic."

"It's okay we'll brief you on the jet. Wheels up in 20." Hotch said to her and the rest of the team.

"Wait Hotch," JJ said confused. "No cases came through me."

"This one came straight to me. It is urgent." Hotch replied.

"Where are we going?" JJ asked Reid as they exited the room.

"A small town in the north-western part of Washington State. Some town called..." Before the words escaped his mouth, JJ knew where they were going. She tensed up, as if his words had summoned far pressed memories. "There has been five murders of women in the town and surounding areas," Reid finished.

"... JJ? Are you okay?" Reid asked noticing her demeanor had changed. She was staring blankly ahead as if trapped in her own thoughts.

"... What? Um yeah, okay, uh thanks, Spence, I'll s-see you on the plane." JJ said rushing off.

What just happened, JJ thought to herself. She hasn't let herself be affected by that for a long time and she wasn't about to start now.

"So all the victims are Caucasian, female and 25-35 years old. They were stabbed multiple times, were there any signs of sexual assault?" JJ asked, catching up on the case. Even as she asked the question, she feared the answer.

"Yes, they were all raped." Emily said.

The files showed that they were all very different. One was a teacher, one owned a small clothing store, and another two were prostitutes. JJ's heart sped up as she read the last one. She closed her eyes for a second and took a deep breath, relieved that her odd behavior was going unnoticed by the team of profilers sitting right beside her.

Breaking her from her thoughts, Rossi spoke.

"Okay so while the teacher and waitress lived in the small town, the others lived just outside Seattle, a five to six hour drive away. How did our unsub get the victims all the way there."

"Actually," Reid started. "The drive is on average if you are maintaining speed limits, 5 hours and 47 minutes. But if you factor in the-"

"-Well, to state the obvious he has a car. A bus or car is is only way to get there, and he couldn't have taken the victims on a bus, there would be to many witnesses." Emily said, cutting Reid off.

"The dump sites were different than were the unsub killed the women, so he has a secondary location. It is probably in between the town and Seattle.

A beeping sound went off and Garcia popped up on screen.

"Hey buttercups," she said as cheery as alway.

"Baby Girl, I need you to see what neighboring towns there are there. As well if there is anything else near by, it may not be marked on a map." Morgan said to Garcia. JJ hadn't quite heard what Morgan had said

"Well my prince, that will take a few years of keyboards and screens," Garcia joked.

For 30 seconds all they hear is the pounding of keystrokes.

"And you owe me Derek Morgan. There is not much in the area. Well close to nothing really. No neighboring towns, Seattle is a 6 hour drive. There is however a school for troubled teens. Mount Horizon."

As soon as JJ heard those two words she could feel her muffin and coffee etching back up her throat. Ignoring the looks of everyone, she quickly got up as ran to bathroom. She barely locked the door when she vomited the contents of her stomach into the toilet. She took a deep breath.

"You are Jennifer Jareau," She mumbled softly again.

She made herself regain whatever strength she could. After rinsing her mouth and washing her hands she opened the door and attempted to slip back to her seat.

After seeing Rossi's raised eyebrows, who was sitting at the opposite side of the jet, JJ got the idea that they all had heard her barf.

Great, she thought to her self as she made her way back.

"I th-think the milk I had in my cereal this morning had expired." She lied quickly when the team gave her questioning stares, praying that they would not pick up on her deceitfulness.

"Umm, okay..." Emily said, obviously not fooled by her weak lie.

"Do the local police have any leads?" Derek asked. JJ was glad for the topic change.

"No, not yet. They are hoping that we will be able to give some insight." Rossi said.

JJ stared at the case file on the tablet infront of her, but wasn't reading it. All her mind could focus on was the fact that this one was to close.

"It won't happen," JJ muttered softly to herself.

"What won't happen?" Reid asked innocently.

"Huh, sorry, w-what?" JJ said trying to cover up again.

"I thought you said something..." Reid said, looking slightly confused.

"I didn't s-say anything," she replied, turning around and praying he wouldn't keep asking her.

Luckily, he got the hint and went back to studying the case file on his tablet.

The rest of the plane ride was quiet and everybody was doing their own stuff. Hotch's voice broke the silence.

"We are going to hit the ground running on this one. Rossi and Prentiss go to the dumpsites, Reid and JJ go to the local police and start victimology. Morgan, you and I will see what we can find from the families of the victims," Hotch instructed.

"Hello Sheriff Matthews. I'm Agent Jennifer Jareau and this is Dr. Reid. We are with the FBI." JJ introduced.

"Thank you for coming so quick,"the sheriff replied.

He led them to a room and they got to work.

"Okay so our unsub's first victim was here and she..." Reid mumbled to himself.

Time passed and they had finished victimology for the first four women.

"Hey JJ," Reid said. "Do you have the file with the information on the family of Amy Owens?"

Reid turned to face JJ and saw her staring, glazed eyed at a wall.

"JJ? JJ? Hello? Earth to JJ!" he said and then paused. "JENNIFER JAREAU!" Reid said louder, waving his hands in front of a non-replying JJ.

He reached out and shook her shoulder, as soon as his hands touched her, she jumped up.

"Get off of me! Stop, please." She yelled, frailing her arms.

"JJ it's me, Spencer." Reid said stepping forwards.

JJ stopped suddenly as if awakened from a trance.

"I'm sorry. I-I don't kn-know what happened," said JJ sitting back down, avoiding eye contact with him.

"JJ what's going on?" Spencer asked, concerned.

She remained silent, avoiding the question.

"Seriously, you've been acting strange all day."

"Spence it's nothing. Let's get back to work." JJ said brushing it off.

"JJ that wasn't-"

"Reid I said stop," JJ snapped.

Reid backed off sudently, retreating as if JJ had slapped him. She felt instantly bad, but couldn't bring herself to appologize.

They continued to work in silence, reading the case files and occasionaly sticking something new onto the board. Half an hour later, Hotch walked in.

"Find anything," he asked the two of them.

Reid glanced at JJ before answering.

"Uh, no, not yet. But I think I might be onto something," he answered.

JJ breathed a sigh of relief, he wasn't going to say anything about her.

"The M.E. said that there was DNA found on the last two victims," Hotch said. "As well signs of a blunt force trauma to the head and large amounts of melatonin in there systems."

"So he isn't strong enough to overpower them physically and he is getting sloppy," Reid noted. "Are there any matches."

"Not yet, Garcia is still running them. JJ call Garcia and tell her to look pull up anybody in this area who has a disablilty and a criminal record." Hotch said, turning to JJ.

JJ didn't answer, nor did she hear what her supervisor had said.

"JJ?" Hotch said, reaching out to tap her. Before he could, she jumped up.

"S-sorry, I didn't hear, what did you say?" JJ asked, acting like nothing was going on.

Hotch gave her a questioning look, but repeated himself anyway. Once she had left, her turned to the young agent.

"Is there something going on that I should know about?" Hotch asked.

"I'm not sure." Reid said slowly. "She has been acting really jumpy and stuttering a bit, she does that when she is lying. As well, on average every 45 seconds she will bit her lip and she has been fiddling with her pen all day."

"I noticed too." Hotch said, concerned.


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey guys! Sorry about the really really long break... anyway here is the next chapter. Hope you like!**

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JJ headed out of the room to call Garcia. Shakily, she pulled her phone out of her bag. Dialing her number, she waited a few rings until the hacker picked up.

"Hello my pretty wonder women!" Garcia said brightly on the other line. She had obviously looked at the caller I.D.

"Hey Garcia, um, Hotch wants me to ask you if you have gotten a hit on the DNA samples that were sent to you earlier."

"Sorry my gorg girl, it is not yet identified. Anything else I can do for you and the crime fighters?" The word-creative Tech-Analyst asked.

"Actually, yes." JJ started, "Hotch was wondering if you could pull up any files of men with disabilities and a record in the area?" Her voice wavered, and JJ thanked god that Garcia was not a profiler. She didn't need or want anyone else thinking something was wrong.

"Consider it done, sugar plum! I will send it your way shortly. I will also call when I get a hit on the DNA. PG out!" Garcia said cheerfully.

JJ smiled at her friends ability to be so happy in their line of work. She leaned against the wall in the hallway, not anticipating heading back; they obviously knew something was going on. After taking a few shaky breaths, she whispered, "I am Jennifer Jareau," silently before returning to the room that was now full of profilers.

Upon entering she noticed that the returning agents had gotten to work immediately.

"Okay so what do we have," Derek said to the group of people before him.

"See everything here points to revenge. The way they are killed to the rape to the way they are dumped," Emily said. JJ observed the conversation quietly, but did contribute.

"You don't look convinced," Rossi said, pressing her to continue.

"But all the victims do not look alike. A serial killer driven with revenge looks for people who symbolize the person who their anger is geared towards, but this unsub has victims who all look nothing alike," Emily replied.

"Maybe it is something else other than appearances that is driving him," Reid said. The doctor had been standing in the corner reading something, and hadn't said a word since speaking to Hotch about JJ.

"Like what?" Hotch questioned, motioning for him to continue.

"Well, I was going over the files on the victims and as well some more information that was sent in about them and also their family member. I found something interesting, so the second and the fifth victims were prostitutes. The first victim's sister was living on the streets when she was younger, only getting off them one year and seven months ago. It says in her sister's file, but not hers that they suspected that she had been homeless at the time as well. The third was in rehab for a cocaine addiction. I bet if we look further, we would find that the first victim had a connection to prostitution, the streets or drugs," Reid said quickly, barely even pausing for breath.

"That is definitely a connection," Emily said, looking around. Her gaze froze on JJ who was staring off, into nothing in particular.

"Okay first call Garcia, get her to look into the first victims life, see if she can find any signs that she might have a relation to that world. Then we need to-" Hotch started, but was cut off my the sound of JJ's phone ringing.

The simple ringtone sounded almost shrill and high-pitched to JJ as she was alarmed out of her current state of incoherence. She quickly reached for her phone that was sitting on the table. Glancing at the caller ID she noticed it was Garcia. Not wanting to do much talking, she didn't want to show any more weakness than she already had so she was keeping her speech to a minimum, she put Garcia on speaker.

"You're on speaker, baby girl," Morgan said for the blond liaison when she picked up.

"Well hello to you my blonde friend, and as well any of my favourite bad guy catching team. I ran the DNA you sent me, and it came up with zilch," she said.

"Wait, this unsub's DNA isn't in the system?" Hotch asked, bewildered.

"Yes boss man, that is what I said, the said truth," Garcia responded.

"Thank you Garcia. As well can you look into the life of the first victim Chelsea Adams. Look for anything to do with prostitution, runaways or drugs." Hotch said.

"Anything for you by cupcakes. Hold on a minutes," it was quiet for a few seconds. "I got nothing my friends. Her life looks as shiny and sparkly as a diamond. She was a teacher at a local elementary school. Teaches the second grade, average pay. Pays her taxes and mortgage on time. Sorry sweet cheeks, but I don't think- hold on. It seems that my computer genius skills have shone through once more. I found a sealed file. Oh, look at that, I unsealed it. Oops… Well, you amazing blossoms, it seems you are right. When Chelsea Adams was 16 years old she was charged with possession, she was meant to be sentenced to four years in prison, but instead was sent to therapy school," Garcia said finishing.

"Thank you baby girl," Morgan said as Garcia hung up. Morgan pressed end on JJ's phone for her, noticing she had spaced out.

"JJ, you okay?" Morgan asked, tentatively.

"Yeah, I'm fine Morgan," JJ said, shaking him off.

They both turned to face to the rest of the group.

"So he is a first offender? What are the chances of that?" Emily questioned. "Don't answer that," she added quickly to Reid as she saw him begin to reply.

"Or he hasn't been caught yet," Rossi pointed out.

"We need to spend some more time speaking with the families. Maybe our victims knew the unsubs somehow," Hotch said. "Prentiss, take the first family, Rossi, the second, Morgan, third, Reid and I will take the last two. JJ I need you to hold a press conference. Get his type out there, try to get his attention."

"Yeah okay," JJ said. Surprisingly she replied. It had not gone unnoticed by the profilers how silent or spaced out the blonde agent had been that day. They were started to get worried. Little did they know that they had much more to come.

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**So I ended with a cliche… idk**

**Anyway PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE review for me it would mean alot.**

**EVERYTHING happens next chapter so stay tuned. **


	3. Chapter 3

**hey so sorry for the break. ive been really crazy busy! Anyway here is the next chapter and HAPPY HALLOWEEN!**

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"We are looking for a man of any race in his early to mid thirties. He has a past with drugs, prostitution and homelessness. He could be a runaway. He has a lot of rage, and that probably shows in his everyday life. He will not have a stable job or relationship. He owns a large car, probably a van. He might come off as an angry person. His potential targets are anyone with a current relation or past history with prostitution, drugs or homelessness. If you have any information about someone who you think matches this description please call the tip hotline. Thank you."

The press conference went without a hitch. Well, the first part. Below the stand, there were maybe twenty-five reporters, give or take. Further down, there were the public civilians, that is where she saw the familiar face.

As she stepped down from the stand after answering questions, she felt a shiver run down her spine.

"Shelby?" A voice cried out, almost lost in the sea of reporters, but not quite.

"I'm sorry, that is all the questions we will be answering today," JJ said, trying to finish quickly.

"Shelby," the voice came again. JJ felt the blood rush to her head as he swiftly walked back inside the station. Little did show know that Hotch had seen the whole thing. She walked, not suspecting anything towards the room that the rest of the team were in earlier, bumping into Hotch on the way.

"JJ," Hotch started. JJ's heart sank as she realized what this was about. "Why was that women calling you Shelby?" He finished concerned.

"Uh… I dunno, m-maybe she thought I was someone else…" JJ said slowly. She made a move to get past him, but he held her back.

"JJ, something is going on with you. Tell someone, if not me, then anyone. We are all here for you, no matter what it is," Hotch said kindly.

"Aaron," she said sternly. It was rare, the use of the first name, but it gave it all the more power. Hotch was taken aback by the aggressiveness of JJ's voice. "Leave it alone," the liaison finished simply. Her voice at the end, the complete opposite of how she started. She walked away before Hotch could stop her. He attempted to go after her, but he was called over by an officer. There had been another murder. After getting a small briefing from the officer, Hotch gathered the team in the room they were set up in.

"Approximately thirty minutes ago, another body was found twenty minutes away from here. It was Sandra Brian, 29. Crime Scene Unit is already processing it. Derek and Reid, head to the crime scene. We are going to present a profile when you get back."

Two hours later nothing much had happened. They gave a profile, but it had not helped much yet. They found some DNA at the crime scene and decided to process it again, despite the results last time. They were almost desperate and didn't have much to on besides a man who didn't like prostitutes. The team was once again gathered in the conference room. Hotch's voice broke the long silence.

"JJ, I need you to call Garcia and see if she has anything on the DNA found on the crime scenes," Hotch said, carefully.

JJ simply nodded and walked out of the room.

"Hey Garcia, Hotch wants to know if you got a match on the DNA that was sent in earlier," JJ said, after Garcia had picked up.

"Sugar plum, I can do a whole lot more than that. By the way, whosoever idea it was to run the DNA again is a genius. You will see why shortly .So there were two sets of DNA found at the crime scene. The first was some semen and like ultra gross stuff found on like a kajillion places on the poor girl and that one matches the DNA that was sent in earlier from the previous crime scene. That one is currently still being run. The other is a fingerprint," Garcia responded.

"So you found a match to the second?" She tentivly asked.

"Of course I did my blossom. It comes to one Augusto Ciceros. And wow did he get around when he was younger. Petty crimes mostly, but a lot for a 15 year old. Seems it all stopped like 12 years ago. Huh that's odd. There is no record of him going to juvie, could it have been a change of heart?" she paused, waiting for a response fromher friend. "Jayje?" Garcia questioned noticing that the blonde had not said . But JJ had stopped listening when she heard the name.

"Hello, JJ?" Garcia continued calling through the phone.

"JJ seriously, are you okay? Why aren't you talking?" After no response yet again, Garcia hung up, figuring that they had been disconnected.

JJ moved to lean across the wall, unsure if her shaky knees could hold her weight. She took a deep breathe in. And out. JJ wasn't going to believe it. She couldn't. Auggie wouldn't do something like this. She could feel something was wrong with this. Lost in her thoughts, JJ almost didn't notice Reid come up behind her.

"Does Garcia have anything yet?" He asked. JJ turned around surprised. She wasn't sure what to say. Choose her job in this life, or a friend from another.

"No she is still running the DNA." She said quickly before she could stop herself. She didn't mean to, the lie had just slipped through her mouth and off her tongue.

"Oh,-" Reid started. Not wanting to lie anymore JJ continued, cutting Reid off.

"-but she is also running a fingerprint that was found all over the body."

"Two unsubs? We'd better tell Hotch." Reid said. He opened his mouth to ask her something, but she noticed. Not wanting to be asked anymore questions, JJ nodded and walked towards the room where the rest of the team was.

After Reid had told them about the multiple unsubs, they discussed it further.

"Okay a team," Rossi started. "Normally we have the one that is in charge and the one that does as they are told."

"That doesn't seem evident here. Unless one person killed and the other raped the women. But then which one had the power over the other." Morgan pondered aloud. JJ shifted uncomfortably in her seat. She didn't want to discuss someone she knows, well knew, so well as if they are an unsub.

"The MO does not look like a pair killing." Emily said, reading the case.

Hotch glanced over at his watch. It was late.

"Let's head to the hotel. Look at it with fresh eyes tomorrow."

* * *

**Dun dun dunnnn.**

**So I know I said that everything happens in this chapter but I decided to split it up. I promise it will get more interesting.**


	4. Chapter 4

**This is the new chapter! Sorry for the wait... and I know it is short, but I didn't have much time to write it. Please R&R! 3**

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Auggie? No Auggie would never do something like this, JJ thought.

How many fucking people in this world and the one that this investigation led them to was Auggie. Well, there was a first for everything.

The team was heading to a hotel for the night. JJ was riding in an SUV with Reid and Emily. Both of them were unusually quiet. She didn't mind, she felt like being left alone anyway. They got to the hotel in around 15 minutes. She got out first and headed straight to the hotel. She checked in for the team like she always did. The hotel was tiny, they didn't have enough rooms. It was their highest tourist season for campers and hikers, so they often filled up. They would all end up pairing up.

Great, she thought, she would end up with Emily.

"We are leaving at 8am tomorrow morning," Hotch announced.

JJ decided against standing awkwardly in the elevator with the team and opted for the stairs. Saying something about needing some air, she headed for the stairs. It was a small hotel and it was only three floors so it turned out taking the stairs was the better option anyway.

She got o the room before Emily and opened the door. Walking into the room she put her go bag on one of the beds and sat down.

She took a deep breath and sighed. What were the chances of everything happening? Was the team going to find out she lied about the DNA samples? Would they find out she lied about everything? She was just getting lost in her thoughts again when the door opened and Emily walked in. She stood up and pretended to be rummaging through her bag because she didn't want to be caught staring into space again that day.

"JJ, are you okay today? You seem kinda out of it?" Emily asked tentatively.

"I'm fine Prentiss," JJ snapped. God, why was she snapping at everyone. And Emily was bound to notice that she called her Prentiss, JJ always calls her Emily.

"Okay, so um, do you want to go for a shower, or should I?" Emily asked.

"You can go," JJ responded shortly.

Emily got some clothes from her bag and headed into the bathroom. JJ waited until she heard the door lock and the water turn on before going back in her bag, this time actually looking for something. She opened a zipper at the bottom of her bag and pulled out a tattered photo. She ran her finger over the so familiar faces, yet almost foreign to her now. She wondered if she was going to be doing this to her current family one day. Would she run again?

JJ flipped the photo over and glanced at the names on the back. She let a lone tear fall down onto the blotchy writing as she read the names of her former friends.

Wow, pull yourself together. You've been here less than a day and you're already a mess, JJ thought miserably to herself.

Well, she had good reason to be. In one day she had already gotten a warrant for Auggie's arrest and narrowly escaped Juliette during the press conference.

JJ heard the water stop and a few seconds later, the bathroom door unlock. Quickly, she folded the photo up and put it back in her bag.

She grabbed some clothes and headed to the bathroom. Ignoring Emily's questioning looks.

She took a deep breath as she looked at herself in the mirror. She always hated how she looked. All she saw was who he made her. But that was her she guessed.

She turned on the water to hot and got into the shower. She felt the hot water scald her skin, but she didn't feel any cleaner. She just felt dirty.

JJ stood in the shower for what felt like minutes, but she guessed were much longer, because Emily knocked on the door, wondering if she was okay.

JJ assured her she was okay, just lost in thought. It was partially true. After getting dressed, she brushed her teeth and headed back into the main room.

She saw Emily reading a book. She quietly placed her clothes into her bag and climbed into bed. She felt a bit more relaxed as she succumbed to the days exhaustion. She was asleep in minutes, but she didn't sleep well. Not that she knew.

Emily's Point of View (Third Person still)

Emily read a bit and then turned off the lamp fell asleep. JJ had fallen asleep maybe twenty minutes before.

She was jolted awake by the sound of whimpering coming from the other side of the room. She got up and walked over to where JJ was sleeping. JJ was laying in bed, curled up in a ball and asleep, but she was crying. Tears were cascading down her cheeks as she slept.

Well, Emily thought, she might be able to hide her feelings when she is awake, but defenitly not when she is asleep.

Emily held her in her arms and whispered it's okay. JJ awoke slightly, in a bit of a days, but she didn't stop crying. She held onto Emily and Emily stayed there until the blonde, broken girl, fell asleep.

**Emily went back to her bed and fell asleep, wondering what the hell was going on with her co-worker and friend. **


	5. Chapter 5

**Sorry for the wait... but here is the next chapter. I brought Auggie into the story first for a reason.**

**3**

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"JJ what the hell is going on?" Emily asked JJ, harshly. She was standing next to her friend's bed the next morning and looking almost like an angry mother.

"What is it?" JJ asked, rudely. She really didn't feel like talking, but at the same time, it didn't seem like she was angry about JJ's odd behavior.

"Garcia texted me today, apparently you got the results of the DNA sample yesterday." JJ sat up in her bed, but made no move to answer. "JJ, I don't know what the hell is going on here, but someone's life is on the line."

"I-I c-an't," JJ tried. What the hell was she supposed to say.

"You can't what JJ?" Emily asked. She was completely confused.

Maybe she could trust her, JJ thought.

"Jus-st don't tell H-hotch or the other-rs," JJ stampered.

"What? Why? Tell Hotch what?" Emily asked. JJ put her head in her hands. She didn't want to do this. Glancing at the clock, she noticed that it was only six in the morning. She could do this now, but could she. She was in a dilemma with herself.

"I uh, know him," JJ said, lamely.

"You know him?" Emily asked. She had calmed down a bit and sat down next to her.

"I went to high school with him," JJ said. Emily nodded, but she knew something that JJ obviously didn't want her too.

Garcia had sent over his personal files to her phone. It said where he went to high school. If he went to school with JJ, then what the hell happened in her past.

"JJ, didn't you grow up in East Allegheny?" Emily asked carefully. JJ just nodded in response, not trusting herself to not spill the whole truth out on silver platter.

"He went to high school near here," Emily commented. JJ didn't even bother responding.

"I'm going to take a shower," JJ said suddenly. She felt the urge to drown herself in boiling hot water at the moment.

"Um, okay," Emily said, unsure of what she should say.

"I wasn't asking for your permission," JJ snapped rudely back. Emily had never seen this side of her co-worker and was taken aback by it.

JJ grabbed some clothes and headed to the bathroom. She turned the tap onto hot and stepped in.

The hot water cascaded down her, turning her skin an angry red, but it never cleaned her.

A dark shadow loomed above her, she knew what was coming.

"It's okay Kitten," a voice called to her.

"Please no," the girl whimpered.

"Come on Kitten," the voice said playfully as he calmly reached for the bottom corner of her shirt.

"Please no," JJ cried softly.

It took a minute to realize where she was. She didn't know how much time had passed. Her skin was crimson red. She was crouched in the corner of the shower with the water falling over her.

It had been a while, since she had flashbacks like that. She hating them. They made her feel weak and disabled. Like a victim. And Jennifer Jareau was not a victim. She had never been.

Turning off the shower, she grabbed a towel and got out of the shower. After getting changed, she headed outside to find Emily.

"Hotch, let me go in," JJ persisted. Emily had been surprised at first when JJ asked. If anything, she had thought that JJ wouldn't want to get involved and risk everyone finding out her secret. Now JJ was still asking Hotch, Morgan and Emily had all gone in and gotten nothing. Emily had told Hotch that Garcia just got the match, not telling him anything about JJ.

"Emily goes in with you," Hotch retorted.

"No, I don't need a babysitter," JJ said, defiantly. Hotch looked surprised by this, but kept his expression tight.

"Fine, we will be watching from the other room," Hotch finally said. He decided it would be best not to argue with her right now.

JJ didn't bother arguing. It would only be Hotch and Emily behind the glass, but she still didn't like it.

"Shelby," the suspect started. "Well, well, if it isn't Shelby Merrick." Auggie smirked.

"It's JJ," JJ replied, unconvincingly. Hotch and Emily exchanged worried glances.

"So… JJ? What the hell am I doing here," he asked. "I haven't done anything, so why the hell am I here?"

"Auggi- Augusto," JJ corrected herself. She mentally cursed herself for letting the nickname slip. "Your prints were found at a crime scene, you are now the prime suspect in a serial murder investigation," JJ finished, but Auggie didn't seem to be curious about that, he wanted to know more about the old… friend? that was standing in front of him.

"So what are you doing in the FBI? Wasn't authorities a problem for you?" He questioned.

"I don't know what you are talking about," JJ said, hesitantly. Hotch was ready to pull her out.

"You know, Jules told me she saw you," JJ held her breath, knowing that Hotch would be able to put two and two together. "I didn't believe her. Told her, Shelby walked away, no actually she ran and we won't be finding her if she doesn't want to be found."

"Do you know why your prints were at the scene," JJ said in a defeated voice.

"No," Auggie said in an almost bored tone. "I told them other guys already."

JJ sat down and took a breath. She leaned in, purposely speaking at a volume that she knew couldn't be heard on the other side of the glass.

"Listen," JJ whispered. "I don't want to believe that you did this. Just tell me everything you know about it. I'm risking my own ass for you so just tell me." She leaned back into her chair.

JJ hated this. She hated having to beg for information.

"A few weeks ago, Jules and I, had just come back from Horizon," JJ bit her lip. "We were getting coffee at like that place near the park. And this guy came up to us, asking about… you," he stopped for a while. JJ's heart beat faster, she knew who "this guy" was, everything was telling her to run, to get the hell out of there, but at the same time, she couldn't.

"We've got maybe three minutes before my Unit Chief pulls me out, start talking," JJ snapped.

"Calm down woman, I'm talking. He showed us a picture and asked if we heard from you. Jules knew, I think, before I said anything, said we didn't know her. We walked off muttering something. Jules told me who he was."

He nudged JJ, looking for a response, but she didn't give one. Hotch took this as his cue and silently headed over.

He opened the door. When he saw that JJ did respond, hell he didn't even know if she noticed, he guided her off the chair and out of the the room. The whole while, JJ didn't say a word. She just stared straight ahead.

Earlier, behind the glass

Hotch eyed Emily as the name Shelby Merrick was said. Hotch remembered the women calling her Shelby at the press conference, but remained silent.

"He knows her," Hotch concluded a few minutes earlier. "You knew."

Emily simply nodded, not trusting herself to speak.

A few more minutes passed.

"What the hell is going on?" Hotch almost shouted. Emily was surprised by her unit chiefs outrage.

"I don't know," Emily said. Hotch looked at her doubtfully.

They observed before things started to get really personal in the interrogation room.

"I'm pulling her out. I need to speak to both her and you." Emily nodded. "Go to the conference room."

He went to the interrogation room and got JJ out. He was completely surprised by what he had just witnessed. JJ was so unresponsive, he had to nearly drag her back to the conference room where only Emily was. She sat down, seemingly regaining whatever it was that she lost.

"What the hell is going on?"


End file.
